Beijing(AsiaNews/SCMP) – If given a choice, the Chinese would rather work for a German company than one from Hong Kong and at least half would like to drive a japanese car, this according to survey results published by the Horizon Research Consultancy Group, a leading market research firm.

A survey of favoured study destinations conducted last year found that 22.1 per cent preferred the US, 19.6 per cent Australia, 12.5 per cent Britain, 10.5 per cent France and 7 per cent Japan. Only 2.2 per cent said they would like to study in other Asian countries.

In a survey of 2,509 people, the US was seen as the most important country for China's economy, down almost 10 per cent from Horizon's comparative 1999 survey. Japan ranked second with 38.1 per cent, down 16.9 per cent from five years earlier, and third was Australia with 16.4 per cent, up from 10 per cent in 1999. Similarly, 63 per cent of those questioned said that China-US relations were good.

The survey findings are seemingly at odds with statements from mainland leaders, who say the Americans should be treated warily, the motherland should be loved with a passion and that all things Japanese are to be loathed.

Horizon's chairman and founder, Victor Yuan Yue, explains the anomaly this way: The economic, diplomatic, strategic and military considerations the government makes are generally of little concern to ordinary people. The US might be under fire from the Foreign Ministry for rhetoric on China's human rights, but that will not stop people from watching American movies or wishing to attend a US university.

"Although China is developing rapidly, the Chinese still see their country as very weak," Mr Yuan said. "People know it's not as strong as the US and others perceive it to be. There's not good domestic security, a huge gap between the rich and poor [exists] and we have a serious problem with unemployment."

For him, even if the US wants to make China into another Soviet Union, the general Chinese public says no, that China cannot fight against the US.

This is why the US is by far the favourite foreign nation for the Chinese, whether it's by the books they read or as a potential tourist destination.

Horizon's chairman believes the reason for Chinese admiration of the US is the latter's leadership in innovation, as an "integrator who knows how to mobilise resources and manage technology".

In his view, this has much to do with the way the Chinese view those able to impart knowledge, with the tradition of admiring and respecting the teacher.

"Chinese respect teachers," Mr Yuan said. "Even if China becomes stronger, its people will view teachers as the most important source to help them."

With 300 researchers in seven cities, Horizon is able to carry out research for the government, private groups and the UN. Its clients range from Motorola and Coca-Cola to Walt Disney and United Parcel Service, all of which are eager to know as much as possible about how Chinese think in order to improve their business standing in this vast market.

The population remains however critical of US policies and does not view the US as China friendliest neighbour. With 7.2 per cent of respondents, the US is only seventh on the list of China's best friends after Australia, South Korea, France, Singapore, North Korea and Russia, which comes in first at 30 per cent.

Despite such misgivings, many Chinese wish to work for US companies irrespective of Sino-US relations. Western and Northern European companies come in second place followed by those of Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. Japanese companies come in dead last. (PB)